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North Pacific region

 The Guanacaste region, known also as the Gold Coast, is about 4 hours drive time from San José. The perfect time to visit Guanacaste is, luckily enough, year round. No matter if you visit during the dry season or during the rain season, both provide spectacular advantages. The dry season affords the serious sun lover with plenty of tanning time, while the rain season brings the trees into bloom with explosions of colors and fragrances. The rolling hills become carpeted in brilliant green.

No region of Costa Rica displays its cultural heritage as overtly as does Guanacaste.  The culture owes much to the blending of Spanish and Chorotega, a pre-columbian culture, descended from the Olmecs of Mexico.  Costa Rica's national costume, music, and even the national tree -the Guanacaste- all emanate from this region.

Pacific Ridley Sea turtles (the smallest of the world's six varieties of sea turtles) nest on several of the region's beaches, two of which are specifically protected: Ostional and ¨Grande¨ Beach. They nest more or less monthly in such quantities that the beach is literally covered with female turtles.

The largest sea turtles in the world the giant leatherbacks, nest at different beaches on this coast; the most important ones are protected in Las Baulas Marine National Park at Playa Grande just north Tamarindo and Playa Naranjo in Santa Rosa National Park. They nest nightly during the first portion of the dry season.

Major attractions: Beaches: Tamarindo, Flamingo, Langosta, Papagayo, Carrillo, Samara, Nosara and many more for Guanacaste and Nicoya are justifiably famous. National parks: Santa Rosa National Park, Palo Verde National Park, Rincón de la Vieja National  Park, Tropical Dry Forest National Park, Las Baulas Marine National Park, Ostional Wildlife Refuge.

Adventure Canopy Tour https://savannahatvtours.com/rentals-and-tours/atv-tour-zipline-canopy/

Activities available: Sportfishing, diving, snorkeling, surfing, horseback riding, turtle nesting (November-March), biking, hiking, birdwatching, windsurfing.

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Discover Costa Rica

One of the smallest countries in Latin America, yet one of  the most attractive given its peaceful background, amazing biodiversity, and  the relative ease of seeing quite different sights and regions in just one visit. Costa Rica offers humid rainforests and cool cloudforests, endless  beaches, banana and coffee plantations, fascinating wildlife, plentiful soft  adventure, and very friendly people. It is one of the top places in Latin  America for nature lovers, birdwatchers, surfers and wildlife enthusiasts. Many  Costa Ricans speak some English, so this is also reduces culture shock.

The major attraction is nature, from amazing scenery to  colourful birds and wildlife. Almost a quarter of the country is protected by  national parks and reserves that straddle an enchanting diversity of zones,  from mysterious rain and cloudforests to active volcanoes and impressive  expanses of palm-fringed coast. Within the parks is a remarkable array of  biodiversity, some five percent of the world's total, and including more bird  species (850 or so) than in USA and Canada combined.

In addition to the parks there are great beaches on both  coasts, world-class surfing, kitesurfing, excellent white­water rafting, many   canopy tours with zip lines through the jungle, and first class mountain  biking. Costa Rica has some of Latin America's most memorable eco-lodges.  Despite bad roads in places it is a great country to drive around, and is still  amongst the safest countries in the region although crime is on the rise and  precautions need to be taken.

Tortuguero A  network of inland waterways right beside the Caribbean coast that teems with   wildlife, particularly birds. During March­, May, and July-October, turtles  come ashore to lay eggs on the beach.                                                Puerto Viejo The  offbeat fishing villages of Puerto Viejo and Cahuita on the southern Caribbean   coast have lively Caribbean nightlife and long stretches of clean, sandy  beaches to explore or surf or snorkel. There are several attractive reserves to  visit.

Arenal Volcano One  of most active volcanoes in the western hemisphere. Arenal throws out smoke and molten red lava on a regular basis, and on many clear nights you can experience  an amazing pyrotechnic display. Arenal lake is an attractive temperate region,  and there are rivers and waterfalls to visit in the area, as well as the famous  thermal waters of Tabacon.

Monteverde Known  worldwide for its unique cloudforest reserve, in fact there are several  reserves including Santa Elena with virgin cloud­forest, thick walls of   epiphyte-covered vegetation, and gaily coloured flowers and birds. Colonized by  a group of US Quakers in the early 1950s, Monteverde is a rural alpine-style  panorama of small dairy farms and mountain scenery.

Guanacaste The northwest of Costa Rica is quite  different to the rest of the country, with extensive and endangered dry  forests, incredible and varying beaches along the whole length of the coast,  and cloudforests. Much of the Nicoya peninsula is as rural Costa Rica was 50  years ago.

Osa Peninsula Difficult to reach and less well-known but with stunning scenery, marvellous  jungle lodges on the coast,  and the  vast national reserve of. Corcovado with rainforest-­fringed beaches visited by  flocks of scarlet macaws, Corcovado is one of Costa Rica's most beautiful  national parks. Drake Bay and Cano Island offer wonderful marine life, often  whales, and snorkelling.

Rincon de la Vieja Another active volcano set in a large dry forest national reserve, in northern   Guanacaste. The walking trail through the dry landscape with rock-strewn savannah,  gurgling hot mud pots and sulphurous underground springs, can reach a summit  with spectacular views of active craters, a lost world lake, and the  surrounding plains below. Hard-to-spot animals include peccaries, tapirs,  monkeys and big cats.

Manuel Antonio The smallest but most popular national park,  combining superb beaches, close-up wildlife viewing, coral reefs, and easily  accessed trails. It is right beside some of the country’s best lodges and  restaurants. check this activities in Manuel Antonio

Dominical South of Manuel Antonio there is a long  stretch of superb Pacific coastline, with excellent road access, unspoilt and  little-visited beaches, and an increasing number of small attractive lodges.  Dominical itself is an active surfing location.

 Turrialba An agricultural region little-visited by tourists, with beautiful  countryside spreading over the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central and  down towards the vast jungle expanse of La Amistad reserve. Home of the best  whitewater rafting or kayaking, on the Reventazon and Pacuare rivers.

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ABOUT COSTA RICA

Bathed by two oceans and bordered by Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is 19,700 square miles of forests, volcanoes, mangroves, mountain ranges and beaches.   Costa Rica protects nearly 26% of its territory with national parks and private preserves, and holds around 6% of the world's bio-diversity, spread in twelve tropical habitats that range from the tropical dry forests in the north, to the densely wet rain-forest in the south. However, there are few corridors of protected areas to link together the national parks and reserves.  Another ecological problem is that there are logging and poaching endeavors which seek out farmers and landowners boardering national parks who will take bribes for access into the national parks. Interesting Stats:       878 Bird species 228 mammal species 218 reptile species 175 amphibian species 360,000 insect species 10,000 plant species estimated 505,000 species, only 85,000 have been described

Why Costa Rica?

Not only does Costa Rica hold an amazing amount of diversity (6% of the world) and some of the most fragile ecosystems, it has a government that endorses preservation efforts and has a friendly attitude towards international environmental and educational non-profit organizations. However, there are few biological corridors of protected areas to link together the national parks and reserves, thus species are isolated in islands of forest between cattle farm, farmlands, urban centers, etc.   Another reality is that there are organized logging and poaching groups that seek out landowners bordering national parks and offer them bribes for access into the national parks.  Furthermore, many small landowners (agriculturalists, ranchers, etc.) are struggling economically and are being forced to sell their lands and migrate to the cities or the United States.  Their lands then become part of an oil palm plantation, a large commercial cattle ranch, a resort/hotel, etc.   In conclusion, although Costa Rica is on the forefront of conservation efforts relative to its neighbors, there is still much work to be done.   IMPORTANCE OF AREA - Why Perez Zeledón Region? The Division/Savegre River Valley, within the Perez Zeledón region, in the Southern Pacific Lowlands of Costa Rica, is important for the following reasons: 1. Within the Mesoamerican Biological Hotspot, one of twenty five areas of the world being recognized by Conservation International and other organizations as holding most of the Earth's biodiversity.   Mesoamerica contains some of the highest biodiversity levels in the world, containing about 8% of the world's known species in only 0.51% of the Earth's surface.  Furthermore, there are currently at least 42 mammals, 31 birds, and 1,541 plants in this area that are endangered.   The region is also a critical migration corridor for many bird species and the wintering grounds of the monarch butterfly. For more information, please visit:  www.undp.org.ni/cbm and www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/mesoamerica 2. Within the Corredor Biológico Paso de la Danta, an area identified by ASANA, the Nature Conservancy and others as critical for endangered species habitat, such as tapirs.  These groups envision a communication route for the flora and fauna of the forests of the Corcovado National Park and the Los Santos Forest Reserve.  This area harbors 13 endemic species of fresh water fish, 64 species of reptiles and amphibians, 191 species of birds, 5 types of wild cats (inc. jaguars), and 58 species of bats. For more information on this, read The Path of the Tapir by Quint Newcomer, Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at: www.umich.edu/~esupdate/julaug2002/newcomer.htm Also, please visit ASANA's website at: www.pasodeladanta.org 3. Within the Rio Savegre Watershed.  Division River starts high up on the Cerro De La Muerte mountain peak in a town called División, nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. The river works its way down through the southern edge of the biological reserve Cerro Vueltas and Los Santos Forest Reserve, past the rural towns of Los Angeles, Savegre Abajo, El Llano, and El Brujo, and connecting with the Savegre River, which pours out to the Pacific Ocean, near the coastal town of Savegre. This area provides an important watershed to wildlife, including many endangered and threatened species.  With only 1.15% of the national territory, the Savegre watershed contains approximately 20 % of all the registered species of Costa Rica.  Many groups have conducted studies in the area, including ARAUCARIA, INBio and MINAE.  A new sustainable development zoning plan is going to be presented to government officials and local agents by 2005.   Read an article about this important watershed that is also a biological corridor at: www.ots.ac.cr 4. On the southern border of Los Santos Forest Reserve.  Created in November of 1975, the reserve totals 153,000 acres of pre-montante and montane rainforest. Premontane forests are the second most endangered life zones in Costa Rica, after tropical dry forests.  With CRCT's efforts, these ecosystems can be expanded past the reserve borders. 5. Refuge for threatened and endangered species: The area is home to several endangered and near threatened species including jaguars, the resplendent quetzal, black guan, Baird's tapir, and the squirrel monkey.